Description
Book Synopsis Black celebrities in America have always walked a precarious line between their perceived status as spokespersons for their race and their own individual success--and between being not black enough for the black community or too black to appeal to a broader audience.
Few know this tightrope walk better than Kanye West, who transformed hip-hop, pop and gospel music, redefined fashion, married the world''s biggest reality TV star and ran for president, all while becoming one of only a handful of black billionaires worldwide.
Despite these accomplishments, his polarizing behavior, controversial alliances and bouts with mental illness have made him a caricature in the media and a disappointment among much of his fanbase. This book examines West''s story and what it reveals about black celebrity and identity and the American dream.
Table of Contents
- Preface: Let's Have a Toast for the Douche Bags
- Introduction: Kids See Ghosts
- Part
- Welcome to the Good Life: Kanye West and the Souls of Black Folk
- One. "Pinocchio Story"
- Two. "We Major"
- Three. "Be Like Mike"
- Part
- Everything I Am: Becoming Kanye
- Four. "Family Business"
- Five. "Kardashian-West"
- Six. "Homecoming"
- Part III.
- The Miseducation of Kanye West: Politics, Prayer, and Platforms
- Seven. "Republicans Buy Yeezys Too"
- Eight. "Closed on Sunday"
- Nine. "Wash Us in the Blood"
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
